the pain in their
eyes
the rage in their
fists
clenched against
the bulldozers
the cage of this
land
the battle
foreordained
from the very
beginning
the birth of the
people
human frailty
a fatal flaw,
falling on them
sins of that one
father
the father of
faithfulness
but with feet of
clay
the divide of his
children
one son and the
other
sealing the fate of
Man
in this holy land.
=====
edited
July 1, 2015
the
battle foreordained – v5
(editing
version 2)
edited
June 30, 2015
Innocent
Blood – v7
(editing
version 5)
edited
October 23, 2014
“Innocent
Blood – v6
(editing
version 5)
edited
February 16, 2015
the
battle foreordained – v4
(merging
edits to version 2 and version 3)
edited
December 3, 2014
the
battle foreordained – v3
(editing
original again)
edited
July 10, 2014
the
battle foreordained – v2
post
of child in rage about the Israeli’s bulldozing his home
in
the Gaza Strip
7/10/2014
new
poem June 8, 2014
the
battle foreordained
Daniel
7
and
Men’s Bible Study
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
June 8, 2014
&
edited
March 16, 2014
“Innocent
Blood – v5”
(editing
version 3)
Edited
November 26, 2012
“Innocent
Blood – v4”
after
rereading original inspiration for the poem
Edited
November 23, 2012
“Innocent
Blood – v3”
November
23, 2012
“Innocent
Blood – v2”
after
writing several poems on this topic
&
announcement
of a cease fire
between
Gaza (Hamas) and Israel
November
21, 2012
&
the
tragedy of the fighting in Gaza and Israel
and
the source of the conflict
in
the division of Ishmael and Isaac
the
sons of Abraham
&
original
poem
January
14 and 15, 2009
“Innocent
Blood”
Matthew
2:13-23
and
words of Bishop Peter Weaver,
in
his Partners in Ministry email
1/14/09,
“♦ THE TERRIBLE VIOLENCE IN THE GAZA STRIP is
deeply disturbing. Hundreds of innocent
civilians, including children are being caught in the crossfire. Last week,
after we celebrated Epiphany (Jan. 6, the magi visiting Bethlehem) I thought
about the rest of Matthew 2 where Herod sets out to kill all the
"innocents" under two and Mary, Joseph and Jesus head for
Egypt....probably through Gaza! Both the
Palestinians and Israelis fear and react to violence from the other side and to
a long history of threats and actions that are indelibly etched in their
memories. Tragically, every additional
death and injustice etches new memories in new generations who will grow up
with even more hatred and determination to "win", no matter what the
means of terrorism or oppression. "An eye for an eye, leaves everyone
blind"
How can peace with justice be found?
A Quaker saying, based in the Gospel,
points the way. "There can be no
peace without reconciliation. There can
be no reconciliation without forgiveness.
There can be no forgiveness without giving up the hope of a better
yesterday." In other words, holding
on to the deeply etched bitterness of the past prevents us from embracing a new
future of peace. Nations do it. Families do it. Churches do it. Pray that we might all become
peacemakers. Pray for the land we call
"holy."”
All
of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 38,070+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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